


Not Enough Tea Parties

by allisondraste



Series: Roses and Thorns [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Adoption, F/M, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 19:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15892773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allisondraste/pseuds/allisondraste
Summary: From a prompt on tumblr.  Alistair and Lucia prepare for the next step in their future together.





	Not Enough Tea Parties

She had been quiet that morning.  Well, she was always quiet, but this particular morning had seen her reach peak levels of not talking.  Alistair watched as she stood in the center of the recently furnished bedroom, her eyes darting around to each individual piece of furniture.  She bit the nail of her thumb nervously as she looked from the small bed in the corner, to the chest at its foot brimming with wooden swords and dolls, to the dresser that stood against the opposite wall, and to the shelves lined with worn story books and his own most favorite figurines. **  
**

“Do you think she’ll like it,” Lucia asked, her voice shaky and uncertain.  

It was strange, but also endearing, to see the woman he’d watched stand nose-to-nose, unflinchingly, with the archdemon, terrified by something so tiny.  He did not answer her immediately, rather, he walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. She tensed up at his touch only to relax seconds later.  She always did that.  It was a reflex that came from a lifetime of being constantly alert.  

“She’s going to love it,” he assured, “And she’s going to love you.”

Lucia turned to face him abruptly and squinted at him.  It was the look that meant “Don’t say foolish things, Alistair.”

“Don’t say foolish things, Alistair,” she said, “ You can’t know that.”

“Why not” he replied with a smirk, “I fell in love with you and you didn’t even give me a room full of toys and books.”  
  
“So you’re telling me that you have the same standards as a 5-year-old girl,” she teased, quirking an eyebrow as she spoke.

“Basically,” he said, “ You know, come to think of it, we have had a disappointing lack of tea parties since we’ve been together.”

Lucia rolled her eyes playfully before shifting them back to the ground and frowning in thought.  Alistair placed a hand under her chin to tilt her gaze up to meet his.

“You’re being too hard on yourself,” he stated softly.

“Would you expect me to be any other way,” she answered, a small grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Alistair said as he pressed his lips against hers gently,  pulling back to brush the hair out of her eyes, “Now let’s go meet our daughter.”

 * * *

The Alienage in Denerim had changed over the years, having been rebuilt following an uprising that led to its near destruction.  Its new hahren, Shianni, was outspoken advocate for her people, winning reparations from the Queen for past abuses.  Still, the orphanage remained, the halls that had once been haunted were now filled with bubbling laughter of young elves whose parents had died or had been unable to care for them.

Alistair and Lucia were greeted at the door by a young woman, who smiled excitedly when she saw them.  Her hair was a bit disheveled, probably the result of chasing energetic children around at all hours.  Maker, would being a parent cause him to have messy hair? No. He wouldn’t allow it.

“Aislin, da’len,” the woman called, her voice so gentle, it was a wonder the children could even hear her over the noise of the place, “They’re here!”

A few minutes passed and then a small elf with curly black hair, dark eyes, and skin that was darker even than Alistair’s own brown hue, appeared at the edge of the hallway.  She was clutching a stuffed bear that had clearly seen better days.  She examined them nervously for a moment before flashing a grin that was already shy a few teeth.  

“Mama,” she exclaimed as she ran, arms open, to Lucia who knelt to meet her embrace.  She wrapped her little arms around Lucia’s neck and hugged so tightly that she shook.

“See,” Alistair prodded Lucia softly, “I told you.”

“Papa,” Aislin added as she looked at him from atop Lucia’s shoulder, and he swore he felt his heart burst in his chest.    
  
This was it.  This would be what killed him: A tiny girl with big brown eyes, who he’d only just met.  The look on Lucia’s face when she turned toward him, still cradling their child, told him that she felt the same way.  He knelt to embrace them both, and this time, she did not tense at his touch.   
  
This was the future they had waited over a decade for, that Lucia had found the Cure for, the one that he almost thought they would never have.  It was peaceful and ordinary with a family that was anything but. 


End file.
